


the moments in between

by ariatl



Series: my only reason [9]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alternate Canon, Drabbles, F/M, Falling In Love, Flirting, Fluff, Friendship, Goofing Around, One Big Happy Family, Romance, Snippets, also known as all the scenes that didnt make it into ad astra per aspera, having fun, like straight up tooth rotting fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2018-12-11 07:07:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11709369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariatl/pseuds/ariatl
Summary: the soft, quiet moments between kylie ryder and her crew





	1. Chapter 1

The harsh winds on Havarl whipped around them as they descended from the Tempest’s ramp, his breath catching in his chest as he watched her coiled, cloud-like hair blow around her head. It had been a few weeks since he joined, but he felt as though he couldn't stop learning new things about her - One thing he loved the most was her hair. Her hair was wonderful, always changing into something he loved even more than before.

Rain lightly drizzled down on them, her icy blue eyes slowly widening as she looked around. Awe danced across her features, disbelief and shock that she was even there causing her jaw to drop. “Wow,” a breathless sigh left her as she took in the beauty that is Havarl. Her eyes lingered on the vast, wide moon covering most of the horizon. She couldn't believe it. "This place is like, devastatingly beautiful."

"I know," his words were murmured under his breath. Like her, he wanted to say, but couldn't _._ Jaal couldn't take his eyes off of her, his heart feeling heavy at the sight - His birthplace. His home. Now, with her standing there, his favorite place in the entire galaxy.

Kylie didn’t even know where to look first – Everything was _beautiful_. Colorful plant after colorful tree, multicolored flowers dotting the near-purple grass and glowing an effervescent, faint green as exotic creatures bumbled about and chattered. Flowing, strangely-colored creatures flew above them, whooshing past and disappearing in the horizon.

The rain slowly picked up. It pelted down hard on them, the angara grumbling as he held his rofjinn above his head and she laughed, holding her arms above her head as she glanced back at him. His brows furrowed as he met her gaze, curiosity causing a brow to quirk up before she stuck her tongue out at him and took off, bolting off down the near-destroyed pathway.

“Ryder!” Jaal sputtered in his spot before he shook his head in disbelief and released his rofjinn, the fabric whipping around him as he darted after her. “What are you doing?”

“Racing you to the compound, doofus!” Her words bounced with each step, the happiest laugh dancing behind her words. It made his heart skip. He scoffed, a stupid grin on his face at how silly she looked just then, soaked to the bone and giggling as she ran through the rain. She rolled her eyes, glancing over her shoulder at him. “You know, you’re such a –“

A puddle appeared out of nowhere and her heel collided with the center of it, sending her rolling forward. He froze and watched in shock as she crashed onto her face and her body skidded forward, water drenching her down to the bone. An uneven step made a nice, gnarled dent in her chest-piece before she finally collided with the railing lining the pathway with a loud grunt, her body falling limp. 

“Kylie!” Worry bit at his tone as his steps skidded to a sharp halt beside her body, nearly losing his footing before he grasped the railing beside them. His bright blue eyes widened, searching her unmoving body, as he crouched down and grasped her shoulders. “Are you –“

She rolled over at his near-electric touch, catching him off guard and grinning triumphantly up at him. The look in her icy blue eyes caught him off guard, her arms folding over her chest. “You called me Kylie.”

“That… Well,” Jaal stared down at her for a moment before his eyes slowly narrowed, fear gripping him at the idea of messing up or forgetting her name. Anxiety rushed up his spine and he took in a quick breath. “That is your name, is it not? I thought...”

“No.” His face fell and she fervently shook her head, wiping a slight smudge of blood off of her face. “Wait! I mean, yes, but - You’ve only been calling me Ryder since you joined a few weeks ago.”

The angara's brows furrowed, words leaving him before he sharply rolled his bright eyes. "Well," his lips pursed as he lowered himself to his knees beside her and sat back on his heels, a soft hum rumbling deeply in his chest. “That is because I had assumed that was what you liked to be called.”

“Honestly?” Her face scrunched up in thought as she propped herself up on her elbows, staring up at the night sky. Stars dotted the dark, illuminating pathways and making glowing constellations around the moon. “Hearing you call me Kylie sounds really good to me. I always hated being called Ryder.” She grinned, biting her full bottom lip before she looked up at him.

The moment she looked at him, time had stopped. His heart skipped a beat as he stared down at her, his jaw falling slack as he took her in – Her coiled hair had been weighed down by the rain, slicked down her shoulders and her chest, and her toothy grin was enough to make him feel weak and his legs wobbly.

Umber skin was beautifully highlighted by the vast, purple-pink planet looming in the sky above them and her dark freckles stood out under the stars, forming a pathway across the three-lined scar etched across her nose. A new scratch from her fall sat on her right, high cheekbone, following the line to her wide nose. His breath caught, his stomach flipping as she smiled at him and it hit him.

He was in love.


	2. Chapter 2

Fog encapsulated the puff of air that left her, white speckling across her face. Teeth chattered uncontrollably, a low tremor settled deep within her bones as she stood there, nearly frozen in place. Arms crossed over her chest in a desperate attempt to capture any last semblance of warmth, thick boots scuffing the snow-dusted floor as she shifted from one side to the other.

“Ryder?” The deep rumble of his lovely, rich voice broke her from her cold-filled trance. Kylie glanced up, quickly blinking away the slightest tinge of blur dotting and obscuring her vision. Amusement flickered through his bright blue eyes, the slightest quirk of a smirk on his lips making her eyes narrow in suspicion. “Are you alright?”

“What did I say about calling me Ryder?” She scoffed, rolling her eyes. Her words were punctuated by the slightest tremble in her voice. “And I’m fine. Why?”

“Well,” Jaal finally grinned and she almost screamed; The sight of it was something that she's come to realize that she liked a _little_ too much. Just a little. “You _are_ standing there acting as if you’re about to become a…” His words slowly trailed off. A low hum rumbled deeply within his chest as he searched for the right word, a finger lightly tapping his chin. He cursed under his breath. “What is it called again? It’s – It’s a frozen thing your people frequently refer to as a... A -”

“Popsicle?” Liam quipped in, patting his shoulder as he walked by. Chocolate eyes spared a glance over his shoulder, only to catch what was probably the dirtiest look she has ever given him in the entirety of their friendship. The look on her face? Priceless. He very nearly cackled. A toothy grin danced across his face and she squared up, hands balling into fists as he disappeared through the opened doors. 

She almost yelled -

No. She _would_ have yelled, knocked his ass right down, if she weren’t nearly frozen solid in her place and her teeth weren't a blatantly chattering mess that rendered her slightly speechless. An agape mouth sharply pouted with a huff, her eyes rolling. 

“Yes!” The angara triumphantly exclaimed, hands reaching for hers before he registered just what he was about to do. He paused, a slight waver in his voice as his eyes briefly glanced down to take in the minute betrayal of his own body. What is he doing? Keep it together. Confidence, fake and ready to take over to hide his slight shock, surged through him. “A popsicle.”

"Jaal -"

" _You,_ " he interrupted her with the shake of his head and the wag of his index finger. A dramatic pause hung in the air as he leaned down, punctuated by the cheekiest grin on his bright face. She had to bite back a sudden grin at this strangely playful air dancing about him, almost uncontrollable. "Are a popsicle."

Narrowed, icy eyes flickered down to look at his hands that hung lamely in the air. Why did he reach for her? She looked back up at him and pursed her lips. “Am I grape-flavored?”

“Wh-“ Bright, blue eyes slowly narrowed as brows deeply furrowed in the utmost confusion. He leaned down, catching her gaze. “Are you _what_?”

Curt laughter suddenly flickered through the air, umber cheeks staining the sweetest shade of red as she fervently, quickly shook her head. Oh, my God. Holy shit. Why did she just say that? What is she doing? She’s being dumb, that’s what she’s doing right now. God damn, her and her smart ass mouth. “Nothing.”

“No," a brow quirked up. "I do believe that I heard you say something.”

“Oh,” a quick intake of breath almost made her choke as she turned on her heel. Kylie started down the snow-covered staircase, bright eyes glued to the white-speckled metal when he called after her. Her steps led her through a set of open doors, revealing the vast, dimly-lit expanse of deep within Techiix. A deep, on-set chill grasped the air like none other could, tearing through her thickly-padded underarmor as if it weren’t anything at all. “Nothing.”

Jaal quickly followed after her. “Ryder!”

“Oh, what? Who’s that?” Her voice bounced with each step, hands digging deep into her pockets while her shoulders hiked up. Christ, it’s so fucking _cold;_ It made it difficult for her to think, to articulate words. They slightly slurred. “I don't think I've ever heard of someone called Ryder before. You know who that is? Are they cute?”

“Kylie,” if she were willing to reach that far, he almost sounded breathless when he said her actual name – The gentlest hint of admiration danced just behind his subtle accent, fleeting, lingering, but there; A strange specialty, a quirk, even, that made her feel off with just how he said it. “Wait!”

Her steps paused, allowing him to catch up with her.

A bump against her shoulder nearly sent her spiraling back into the snowy terrain; The rough, electric touch of a wide hand against her back yanked her forward, icy blue eyes shooting wide open as the front of her cold, armor-clad chest collided with the center of his; His soft, warm rofjinn padded the harsh slam, the richly-blue fabric ruffling and swaying around him.

If it were possible for her to blush any hotter, her face would’ve probably imploded.

“Are you alright?” The steady buzz of his touch made her ears ring. It was difficult for her to focus, to hear him talk as her gaze trailed up to stare at his lips and she lost herself for a moment, fleeting; A feeling she couldn't exactly put her finger on slowly flooded and filled her chest, a hitch in her breath making her lips part with a soft gasp. Has he always been this... Cute?

"Yeah, I'm..." Her eyes finally flickered up to meet his gaze and a when she caught it, a chill, colder than Voeld itself, made her shiver as her words trailed off. A squeak quietly escaped her. "...Fine."

Wide, dilated pupils nearly absorbed the majority of his galaxy-like eyes, obscuring the beautiful array of bright, mixed colors with black. The strangest feeling she didn't want to think of hung in the air, floating and dancing around them. A hum skipped against her armor, seeping through to her skin; It fell unsteady, rough, the longer they stared at each other, before a warmth rushed through her body.

It felt as if time had stood still; A pause hung in the air, the tension hanging between them tangible in a way she wasn't sure that she liked. A realization slowly pooled at her feet, making her thick boots anchor her down into her spot. A soft breath left her –

She liked him. Maybe a little too much for her own good.

A quick bop against her nose broke her out of her deep trance, icy blue eyes shooting wide open when she recoiled; The cockiest grin danced across his freckled face as his hand fell from her lower back, his teeth showing in the cutest way as he took a step back. His brows wiggled. “A Kylie popsicle.”

“God," she snorted in a puff of fog, shoving him away. "I hate you!”


End file.
